1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to improved apparatus for monitoring tension, shape and strip position of strip being rolled on a rolling mill.
2. Description of The Prior Art
It has been known to employ segmented rollers in contact with strip in a rolling mill environment in order to determine shape or flatness of strip by strain-gauge type transducers mounted on the arm supporting the rolls. One of the main disadvantages of this approach is the difficulty with maintenance as a result of the need to interrupt the rolling process in order to remove transducers which might need to be replaced, and to replace such transducers or to service other components of the assembly. These units have also been very heavy and cumbersome in construction (high inertia) which detract from the effectiveness as a measuring device. This characteristic also made such devices in many cases unfit for interstand looper uses in a tandem hot strip mill.
It has been known in the rolling mill environment to monitor strip tension or flatness by measuring forces across a roll or a segmented group of rolls. See generally U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,475,935; 4,289,005; and 4,512,170.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,581,536 and 4,332,154 disclose segmented roll, contacting sensor systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,029 discloses a device which has high inertia rolls and would require prolonged mill shutdown in order to replace the transducers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,809 discloses a segmented roll, noncontacting system wherein the roll surface which is subject to wear is employed as a reference for the sensor. This could interfere with the accuracy of measurement.
See, generally, Proceedings Vol. 1, International Conference on Steel Rolling (Science and Technology of Flat Rolled Products) Sept. 29/Oct. 4, 1980--Tokyo, Japan, published by the Iron Institute of Japan.
There remains, therefore, a need for tension, shape and strip position monitoring means in a roll assembly which will function efficiently and which may be serviced without the need for prolonged interruption in the rolling process.